The James Beard Foundation Announces Susan Ungaro Will Step Down as
President at the End of 2017; National Search for Next Leader to be
Launched

~ Ungaro has led the Foundation to become the preeminent culinary
organization dedicated to celebrating, nurturing, and honoring America’s
diverse culinary heritage ~

June 27, 2017 04:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The James Beard Foundation (JBF) announced today that Susan Ungaro will
step down as president of the James Beard Foundation. Ungaro will
continue to serve in her role as president of the Foundation until
December 31, 2017, while the Board conducts a national search for a new
leader.

During her 11 years of unparalleled success for the Foundation, Ungaro
was a constant champion of the Foundation’s mission to celebrate,
nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture
more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. Under her
leadership, the Foundation enjoyed national and global recognition,
initiated a host of thought leadership initiatives and grew
substantially to educate and inspire countless members of the culinary
community. Her many accomplishments include expanding the renowned James
Beard Awards and moving it successfully to Lincoln Center in NYC and
then to Chicago. She also spearheaded the launch of an annual JBF Food
Conference, fostering dialogue and action to improve our nation’s food
system, and created the JBF Leadership Awards, which recognize
visionaries in business, government, and education responsible for
creating a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food system. Ungaro
has also been tireless in highlighting the impact of the organization,
promoting diversity in the restaurant industry and reinforcing its
position as a change agent in the culinary field. This includes the
creation of the JBF’s Women’s Leadership Programs: the inaugural Women
in Culinary Leadership (WCL) program and the Women in Entrepreneurial
Leadership (WEL) program, launching in September at Babson College.

“Susan ushered in an era of amazing growth and success for the
Foundation and furthered its mission in the U.S. and around the world.
She helped place the Foundation at the forefront of the culinary
conversation and advocated for its wide-reaching initiatives. Susan’s
presence will be missed by her colleagues and friends, but we look
forward to Susan’s continued involvement in the future of the
Foundation,” said Fred Seegal, newly named JBF Chair of the Board of
Trustees, and Emily Luchetti, outgoing Board Chair.

“It has been a special privilege to serve as president of the James
Beard Foundation for over a decade," said Ungaro. "I believe the time is
right for me to start my next adventure helping other nonprofits making
a difference in people's lives. It has been a joy and honor to work with
the talented and dedicated Foundation staff and Board of Trustees. I
look forward to working closely with the board and staff during this
transition period. I remain passionately committed to supporting the
James Beard Foundation in the years to come and staying connected to the
extraordinary culinary community of chefs, restaurateurs, food media and
thought leaders, who welcomed me into their world 11 years ago."

Throughout her career at the Foundation and as editor-in-chief of Family
Circle magazine, Ungaro has served on the boards of other
nonprofits, including HELP USA, The Marrow Foundation and The Brazelton
Foundation. She also serves on the advisory councils of the Culinary
Council of Food Bank for New York City, the National Advisory Board of
C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program), and the Governor’s
Advisory Committee on Safe and Healthy New York Foods. Among her
numerous honors, Ungaro was named one of Adweek’s 30 Most
Influential People in Food in 2016; to Irish America’s Top 50
Power Women in 2016; in The Daily Meal’s 50 Most Powerful People in Food
from 2011-2014; and was the subject of a MPW (Most Powerful Women)
profile in Fortune.com. Ungaro’s frequent television appearances for the
Foundation include Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay, Iron Chef
America, and Dinner Impossible, Bravo’s TopChef, NBC’s
TODAY Show, and MSNBC’s Morning Joe.